16The men arose from there and looked upon the face of Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them off.17The LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?18Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the land shall be blessed through him.19For I have known him, so that he may command his sons and his house after him, and they may keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what he has spoken concerning him."20The LORD said, "The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin is very heavy.21I will go down now, please, and see whether they have done according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know."22The men turned from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD.23Abraham drew near and said, "Will you also sweep away the righteous with the wicked?24Perhaps there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city; will you also sweep away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?25Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from you. Shall the Judge of all the land not do justice?"26The LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous in the midst of Sodom, then I will spare the whole place for their sake."27Abraham answered and said, "Behold, please, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord, though I am dust and ashes.28Perhaps the fifty righteous lack five; will you destroy the whole city for five?" He said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there."29He spoke to him again and said, "Perhaps forty are found there." And he said, "I will not do it for the sake of the forty."30He said, "Please let not my Lord be angry, and I will speak; perhaps thirty are found there." And he said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."31He said, "Behold, please, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord; perhaps twenty are found there." He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty."32He said, "Please let not my Lord be angry, and I will speak only this once; perhaps ten are found there." He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten."33The LORD went when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.